Steel wool machine



Nov. 1, 1932. R. F. BOEHLER, JR

STEEL WOOL MACHINE Filed July 8. 1927 RAYMMDE' B EHLERJk 4,04%;

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Patented Nov. 1, 1932 .FFWE

- RAYMOND FQBOEHLER, JR., 0]? SPRINGFIELD, OHIO I STEEI: WOOL MAGHINE Application filed July 8, 1927. serial No. 204,247.

My invention relates to steel wool machines.

It is the object of my invention to provide a means of supporting, feeding and remov- 'ing the wire in-a steel wool machine in such a manner that a continuous wire may be used. The two ends of thewire are welded together so as to make an endless wire.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan View of a steel wool machine embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 8'is an end elevation showing the angular position of the sheave.

Figure 4 is a detail section through the bottom of the winding drum 11 and the wires being wound thereon.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 1 indicates legs supporting a table 2 carrying a plurality of tool holders 3 which support cutting tools 4. These cutting tools engage with a wire 5, the free ends-of which are welded together so that the wire is formed into a continuous loop. This wire is passed by guiding rollers 6 on the steel wool machine frame. It is carried around the angularly'disposed sheave 7 supported in brackets 8 on the axle 9. The faces of'the sheaves and the side face of the machine are tilted at an angle of from ten to fifteen degrees with respect to the vertical." These sheaves are known as the idler sheaves. If desired, however, these faces may be set vertically. i I

,On the other end of the machine is mounted asimilar sheave 10 aroundwhich the wire is looped. From this sheave the wire leads to a winding drum 11 so arranged that the tom of the drum so that each succeedingloop of wire on the drum forces the other loops above it upwardly. The drum is tapered as at 12. I i

At the upper part of the drum,-due to the tapering thereof, the wiret-ends tobuild up in a plurality of superimposed coils asat 13. From the top of the drum it passes beneath the brake 14. This brake is adjustable by the set screw 15.

The drum 11is driven by a worm wheel 16 and a worm'l'? from any suitable source of power. The wire is welded at its free ends, as for instance, at the point marked 18. This top wire end is welded to the end of the wire on the reel, such reel being the supply reel on which the steel wire is furnished by the manufacturer of the wire, but when the wire has been supplied to. the machine being wound on the drums 11 and 12 the free ends loop above it is maintained on the lowermost part of the arcuate portion 20 when it first enters upon the drum 11. Thus the succeeding loops are forced upwardly on the drum 11 until the uppermost loop slips over the shoulder 23 so that the succeeding loops can be wound upon the tapered (1111111112. The roller 6 maintains the loop 21 in position both with respect to the drum 11 and the sheave 1.0. v i

Due to the action of the cutting tools the face of loop 21 is cut away at 24. By maintaining the sheaves 10 in tilted position it serves to maintain the face 24 also tilted so that the arcuate rear surface of loop 21 will bear against the next succeeding loop 22 thereby facilitating the upward wedging movement of the loops. wire is continuously first applied on the bot- There are two reasons for setting the faces of the sheaves and the machine at an angle.

VVl1en so set, the wire will feed better from an angle and leave the round part of the wire ously through the machine. By having the Q wire in a continuous loop, it can be operated with the minimum stress on the wire to a 'number is 9.

By having such an arrangement, the attention of the operator is reduced to the minimum, the labor costs are reduced and the amount of material removedfrom the wire is increased, thus'reducing waste. It is also possible to secure increased speed while, at the same time, increasing the number of tools employed on any given wire. f

It will be understood that I desire to comprehend within my invention such modifications as may be necessary to adapt it to varying conditions and uses.

Having thus fully described my invention, what Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is z 1. In combination in a steel wool machine of a bed, having a face, a vertically arranged Wire feeding means on said bed, cutting tools and tool holders carrying said tools mounted on the face of said bed, means to guide said wire adjacent thereto consisting of sheaves at either end thereof, the face of saidsheaves beingtilted to the vertical, and tilted with relation to the face of said bed.

2. In combination in a steel wool machine, cutting tools having straight cutting edges and tool holders, guiding sheaves carried on either end of said machine over which a continuous loop of wire is looped for movement along the cutting tools, means to receive and support said wire for continuously drawing it through the machine and redelivering itin one direction to the machine consisting of a tapered drum having sides inclined to the cutting edges, and means for actuating said drum. r i

3. In combination in a steel wool machine,

cutting tools and tool holders, guiding sheaves carried on either end of said machine over which a continuous loop of wire may be looped for movement along the cutting tools, means to receive and support said wire for continuously drawing it through the machine and redelivering it in one direction to the machine consisting of a tapered drum, means for actuating said drum, and a brake mounted on said machine engaging said wire to regulate the speed of its delivery and its tension. 4. In a steel wool machine, means to support and actuate an endless loop of wire, steel wool cutting means having straight cutting edges, means to support and guide said wire independent of thewire actuating means, said wire actuating means including a drum having a side inclined to the cutting edges and to the support to receive and'actuate said loop of wire at one'point along the length thereof and feed said loop of Wire therefrom at another point to-thesteel wool cutting means.

5. In a steel wool machine, in combination with a table having cutting means thereon, a sheave at each end of said table arranged at an angle to the horizontal, and a vertically arranged drum adjacent one of said sheaves, said drum having a lower upwardly tapering axially curved part and an upper conical part, said drum being adapted with the sheaves to support and feed a continuous strand of wire along the cutting means so that said strand'is fed-to the sheaves from the conical part and received from the sheaves on the lower part.

6. In a steel wool machine, a table, cutting means on said table, and means for feeding a continuous strand of wire to said cutting means, said last means including a drum and a pair of sheaves, one at each end of the table and inclined to the horizontal, said drum being vertical and having an upwardly curved wire receiving part and a conical wire unwinding part, said drum and said sheaves cooperating witheach other to feed the wire to and take it from the cutting means in a single straight line.

7. In a steel wool machine, a table, cutting means on said table having straight cutting edges, and means for supporting and feeding a continuous strand of wire to said cutters, said means including a flanged drum and a pair of flanged sheaves, one sheave at each end of the table having a wire-carrying surface at an angle to the wire-carrying surface of the drum and to the cutting edges, whereby the wire is directed in a single path by the cutting means. i

8. In a steel wool machine, a table, cutting means on said table, a'flanged sheave at each end of the table with its axis inclined to the vertical, and a drum in line with said sheaves having a substantially vertical axis, whereby a single continuous strand of looped Wire may be supported and fed to the cutting means in a single line. I

9.- In a steel wool machine, cutting means, a wire-feeding and carrying drum having an upwardly curved part and a conical part, said drum being adapted to carrya plurality of loops of an endless strand of wire, and means to guide said wire adjacent said cutting means, said last means including a pair of sheaves arranged at an angle'to the drum, whereby the wire is guided in a line to the upwardly curved part of the drum where each coil advances all former coils along the upwardly curved part to the conical part from which the wire is fed to the --guide sheaves and the cutting means; I

l0. In a steel wool-'machine, a bed having cutting tools thereon, a sheave at each end of the bed having a wire engaging surface inclined to the vertical to guide strands of wire along the cutting tools, and a vertical wire receiving and feeding drum, said drum having a Wire receiving par-t tapering on a curve from one end to the other and a conical wire feeding part.

11. In combination, in a steel wool machine, a bed having thereon cutting tools,

means for feeding Wire along the cutting tools, said means consisting of a drum having an axially curved Wire receiving part and a conical Wire feeding part, and means to guide the Wire consisting of sheaves, one at each end of the bed, having inclined faces.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

RAYMOND F. BOEHLER, JR. 

